Tiger's Dawn Bk 3: Dark Moonlight
by Above the Winter Moonlight
Summary: ON INDEFINITE HIATUS I'M SORRY I WAS UNABLE TO FINISH THIS SERIES BUT I HAVE BEEN SWAMPED BY WAY TOO MANY STORIES. SO SORRY TO ALL OF THE FANS OF THIS SERIES.
1. Prologue

NOTE- this book is kind of based on Moonrise, but still not the same, because there are seven cats instead of six and four of them are clan cats, the other three are loners, just letting you know

**Blaze: yay! I was able to post this on the same day i posted the last chapter of _The Secret Path_**

**Tigerclaw: yay!**

**Blaze: (laughs) well, here's the allegiances and the very short prologue, i'm warning you know**

**Tigerclaw: yeah, you've been warned**

**Blaze: ah shut up Tigerclaw**

**Tigerclaw: (gulps) sorry**

_Disclaimer- I do not own warriors, and I'm only saying it once, I do not own warriors_

Allegiances

Thunderclan

Leader- Firestar- handsome ginger tom

Deputy- Graystripe- long haired gray tom

Medicine Cat- Cinderpelt- dark gray she cat

Apprentice- Leafpaw

Warriors-

Mousefur- dusky brown she cat

Dustpelt- dark brown tom

Apprentice- Squirrelpaw

Cloudtail- long haired white tom

Brackenfur- golden brown tabby tom

Thornclaw- golden brown tabby tom

Ashfur- pale gray (with darker flecks) tom, dark blue eyes

Apprentice- Jewelpaw

Brambleclaw- dark brown tabby tom with amber eyes

Sorreltail- tortoiseshell and white she cat with amber eyes

Sootfur- dark gray tom

Rainwhisker-pale gray tom

Brightheart- white she cat with ginger patches

Ferncloud- pale gray (with darker flecks) she cat, green eyes

Sandstorm- pale ginger she cat

Cherrytail- tortoiseshell she cat

Tigerclaw- dark brown tabby tom with unusual long claws, amber eyes

Twilightbreeze- tortoiseshell she cat with gray spots, green eyes

Whitewing- white she cat with green eyes

Spiderleg- long limbed black tom with a brown underbelly

Shrewfur- brown tabby tom

Apprentices-

Leafpaw- light brown tabby she cat with amber eyes

Squirrelpaw- dark ginger she cat with green eyes

Jewelpaw- white she cat with green eyes

Elders-

Longtail- pale tabby tom with dark black stripes

Goldenflower- pale ginger she cat

Frostfur- still pretty white she cat

Dappletail- once pretty tortoiseshell she cat, oldest cat in Thunderclan

Speckletail- pale tabby she cat

Windclan

Leader- Tallstar- black and white tom with a very long tail

Deputy- Mudclaw- dark brown tabby tom

Apprentice- Crowpaw

Medicine Cat- Barkface- dark brown tom with a short tail

Warriors-

Tornear- tabby tom

Webfoot- dark gray tabby tom

Onewhisker- brown tabby tom

Apprentice- Silverpaw

Whitetail- small white she cat

Ashfoot- dark gray she cat

Runningbrook- pale gray she cat

Apprentices-

Crowpaw- dark gray tom

Silverpaw- silver tabby she cat with brown spots

Elders-

Morningflower- tortoiseshell she cat

Shadowclan

Leader- Blackstar- white tom with jet black paws

Deputy- Russetfur- dark ginger she cat

Medicine Cat- Littlecloud- small tabby tom

Warriors-

Oakfur- brown tabby tom

Cedarheart- dark gray tom

Apprentice- Smokepaw

Rowanclaw- dark ginger _tom_

Apprentice- Talonpaw

Tawnypelt- tortoiseshell she cat with green eyes

Tallpoppy- tabby she cat with long legs

Redcloud- ginger and white tom

Nightwing- black she cat

Apprentice-

Talon- dark brown tom

Smokepaw- black tom

Elders-

Runningnose- gray tabby tom, (I can't remember what he looked like)

Riverclan

Leader- Mistystar- gray she cat with blue eyes

Apprentice- Mothpaw

Deputy- Blackclaw- smoky black tom

Apprentice- Hawkpaw

Medicine Cat- Mudfur- dark brown tom

Warriors-

Heavystep- tabby tom

Stormfur- dark gray tom with amber eyes

Feathertail- pale gray she cat with blue eyes

Apprentice- Silverpaw

Seacloud- blue gray she cat

Apprentices-

Silverpaw- gray she cat

Mothpaw- golden tabby she cat with amber eyes

Hawkpaw- dark brown tabby tom with ice blue eyes

Queen-

Mosspelt- tortoiseshell she cat

Tribe Of Starlit Waters

Tribe-Healer- Teller of the Salty Stream (Streamteller)- blue gray tom with sky blue eyes

Cave-Guards-

Flame of burning bush (Flame)- dark ginger tom with amber eyes

Tiger that prowls at night (Tiger)- dark brown striped tabby tom with green eyes

Frosty grounds of winter (Frosty)- white she cat with winter blue eyes

Cloud that covers sky (Cloud)- silver and white tom

Prey-Hunters-

Raindrops in springtime (Rain)- dark gray she cat with silver flecks

Sun that lights up sky (Sun)- golden brown she cat with amber eyes

Sky of no clouds (Sky)- dark blue gray tom

Hawk that flies at sunset (Hawk)- dark brown tom with gray eyes

Lunar eclipse in summer (Lunar)- pale tabby she cat with silver spots

Light of shining stars (Light)- light brown she cat with green eyes

Kit-Mothers-

Golden leaves of autumn (Gold)- golden tabby she cat with brown patches on back

Eclipse at Twilight (Eclipse)- gray she cat with big white spots

Too-bes-

Angel floating in sky (Angel)- white she cat with silver stripes

Lizard crawling over rocks (Lizard)- tortoiseshell she cat with white paws

Cats Outside Clan

Solar- golden brown she cat with white spots, blue eyes

Sparrow- dark brown tabby tom with white and silver stripes, green eyes

Ferret- grayish brown she cat with green eyes

Princess- light brown tabby she cat with white paws, kittypet

Gray- dark gray tabby tom, rogue

Sky- blue gray tom with green eyes, rogue

Sapphire- light gray she cat with sapphire blue eyes, rogue

Stone- blue gray tom with blue eyes, rogue

Storm- pale gray tom with green eyes, rogue

Flame- dark brown tabby tom, rogue

Dapple- tortoiseshell she cat with green eyes, formerly of Thunderclan, rogue

Prologue

All was silent except for the occasional drip of water on the rocks. A single cat sat on the rocks, staring out over the stream in front of it. It stared into the water and waited as moonrise appeared.

The moon casted a light into the stream and the cat pricked it's ears. It saw in the stream, a sun, shining brightly in the dark night. Then he saw a feather as silver as silver can be.

For a moment, the cat just stared down into the stream. Then the scene changed and he saw a black shape come up. It was as big and as vicious as ever.

The scene changed again and the cat on the rock saw one cat, he couldn't tell who it was. A single cat, silhouetted against the darkness of the great beast.

"A golden cat, flame colored cat, or a silver gray cat will come and save the tribe," a voice whispered in the breeze and the single tom cat pricked his ears.

"Who is this cat?" he whispered to the breeze.

"They are outsiders and only one will save your tribe," the voice in the wind whispered.

"What do you mean?" the cat on the rocks asked.

"You will understand soon," the whispering voice on the wind said.

The cat on the rocks stood up and gazed around the landscape before padding back into the cave that was behind him.

"What did you see?" a dark ginger tom asked.

The cat sighed and repeated what the whispering voice had told him.

"It sound like we are going to have three saviors instead of one," commented a pale tabby she cat.

The cat shook his head, "no, we will only have one, only one will save us, but I don't know who," he meowed.

"It's either a golden cat, a flame colored cat or a silver cat," the dark ginger tom meowed.

"And the voice also said, that the cat will come with outsiders, which means no one in this tribe will be the savior," the cat meowed.

"But who is this cat?" a dark gray she cat asked.

"I don't know," the cat sighed, "but this is what I've heard, and this is what I must remember, soon our tribe will be saved."

"Lets hope so," the pale tabby she cat meowed, ominously.

"We will be saved, I have to believe that or all is lost," the cat meowed, "this is our last chance of survival, the whole tribe couldn't save us so maybe this cat will be able to do it."

"We can only hope you are right," the dark ginger tom said.

"But until this cat comes," the cat went on, as if the dark ginger tom had never spoken, "we must be prepared for another strike."

"Cave guards especially must be ready to protect the kit mothers and the prey hunters," the cat went on.

"We'll be ready, this cat will come soon, and we will soon be delivered from this terrible evil," the cat meowed.

"If we have hope, anything can happen," the dark ginger tom meowed.

"Yes, and we must have faith that our savior will come soon, before our entire tribe is wiped out," the pale tabby she cat meowed.

"They will come, we will be saved," the cat meowed, determinably.

"We will be saved alright, but at a great cost that some cats might see as a to high price to pay," a strange new voice whispered in the wind.

"What do you mean?" the cat gasped.

"I mean, the cat you all look to for deliverance might be the one who has to pay the highest price to save you all," the strange voice went on.

"But-but, this cat might be our only hope of survival," the cat gasped.

"I know," the whispering voice said.

"Then why are you telling us this?" the cat demanded.

"I'm telling you this because I'm reminding you, no one can turn aside the paws of fate and the cat destined to save you will be giving up a high price in order to fulfill it's destiny," the whispering voice said, before fading away.

"Wait! What do you mean?" the cat cried out.

"You'll know when the time comes, this is all I can tell you," the whispering voice said before it faded away completly.

"Maybe it's wrong, maybe we'll be able to escape this without this omen coming true," the pale tabby suggest.

"Maybe, but it doesn't seem likely," the cat meowed, "but still we are going to be saved and we must hope this omen won't come true."

**A/n what do you think?**

**Stardream: I told you it would be like Moonrise, but you'll never expect the cat who is choosen**

**Tigerstar: I wonder who it is**

**Stardream: not you**

**Tigerstar: thank Starclan, **

**Feathertail: is it me? Like in Moonrise**

**Stardream: I haven't decided yet**

**Feathertail: what?! Please don't make it be me!**

**Stardream: how about this? If the readers of this story want to keep you alive, all they have to do is review**

**Feathertail: please review, oh, please review**

**Stardream: I mean, you one of my favorite characters, I might decide to kill you off, but if enough of my reviewers want to keep you alive, then I'll keep you alive**

**Feathertail: you mean, my fate is in the hands of how many reviews you get**

**Stardream: exactly**

**Feathertail: oh, please review, please review, please review**

**Stardream: (rolls eyes) please review, next chapter as soon as I can**

**Feathertail: please review, please review, please review**


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Tigerclaw blinked open his eyes in the dim light and gazed around. "I'm glad my quest is over," he meowed, getting to his paws and stretching.

"Your quest isn't over until we get back to your camp," Solar pointed out also getting to her paws.

"Yeah, we still have a long way to go," Ferret meowed, getting to her paws as well, and stretching her tired limbs.

"At least we're closer to the mountains today, we should reach them by tonight," Sparrow pointed out.

"Why can't we just go back the way we had come?" Squirrelpaw muttered, coming to stand beside Tigerclaw.

"Because I don't want to run into our former leader," Solar replied, "he would most likely kill us if he sees us."

"What about us?" Squirrelpaw asked, "would he kill us too? Because I can fight him." She flexed her claws and sank them into the ground.

"You wouldn't want to fight him, he's merciless and cold, like Tigerstar," Tigerclaw meowed.

"How do you know that?"Squirrelpaw asked, her eyes were wide with surprise.

_How did I know that? _Tigerclaw thought, and shrugged, "I don't know," he meowed, and gazed at the mountains looming to the side of them. They seemed closer then ever, like Sparrow had said.

"I think it's going to be hard, climbing those mountains without even knowing where we are going," Stormfur muttered, coming up with his sister, Feathertail, just behind him.

Solar muttered something in agreement then froze and her eyes stretched wide with surprise. Her blue eyes started to cloud and she narrowed them until they were tiny blue slits.

"Whats happening?" Squirrelpaw gasped.

"She's having a vision," Sparrow and Ferret meowed at the same time.

"Remember how I knew you were going to get attacked by that fox when we first meet up," Tigerclaw meowed, glancing back at Squirrelpaw.

"Will I ever forget?" Squirrelpaw muttered, flexing her shoulders.

Solar blinked open her eyes and gazed around, "quick!" she suddenly hissed, "everyone, hide!"

"Why?" Feathertail asked, coming to Tigerclaw's side.

"Just do it, you'll see soon," Solar hissed and scrambled up a nearby tree. Squirrelpaw dived into a nearby bush, Stormfur scrambled up another tree with Ferret just behind him.

Sparrow ran full speed into a nearby hedge, Tigerclaw and Feathertail followed him and turned to look out through the hedge.

The black and white shape of a badger blundered into the open. It lifted it's nose and sniffed the air.

Gazing around with small black eyes, the badger stared at the bush were Squirrelpaw was taking shelter. Sniffing the air again, the badger moved toward the bush.

Tigerclaw could just see Squirrelpaw's terrified face from under the bush. He bunched his muscles, ready to spring as the badger dug it's nose deeper into the bush.

Squirrelpaw scrambled backward until she was almost out of the bush. She let out a small squeak of pain as a thorn dug deep into her flank.

The badger gazed up and, growling, sprang into the bush. Squirrelpaw instantly

scrambled out of it, leaving behind flame colored fur in the thorns.

The badger whirled around and gave chase, Squirrelpaw let out a wail of fear and pushed her legs to go faster as she ran toward the tree were Solar was hiding.

Solar hissed and sprang down before cannoning into the badger, landing on it's back and clawing out black and white fur.

Tigerclaw, ignoring a hiss of fear from Feathertail, raced out of the hedge and launched himself at the badger. He clawed the badger's flank and sank his teeth into it's ear.

The badger shook him off and whirled around at him. Tigerclaw sprang to his paws and narrowed his eyes. His snarled in anger and sprang at the badger, claws unsheathed.

He snarled in pain as the badger whirled around and clawed Tigerclaw's flank. He sprang up and sank his teeth into the badgers shoulder.

Solar had her teeth deep in the badgers hindleg. The badger gave up, snarling in rage, it turned around and blundered away into the opposite direction.

"Good riddiance," Tigerclaw muttered, drawing his tongue over the scratch on his side.

Squirrelpaw leaped down from the tree were she had took refuge and hurried to Tigerclaw's side.

"Are you okay?" she asked.

"I'm fine, Squirrelpaw," Tigerclaw meowed, sitting down.

Feathertail looked between Tigerclaw and Solar and disappeared into a nearby bush.

"Where did she go?" Stormfur asked.

"How should I know?" Tigerclaw meowed, just as Feathertail came back with some leaves in her jaws. They smelled like marigold.

"Are you a medicine cat? Or what?" Stormfur meowed as Feathertail chewed up the leaves and put the poultice on Tigerclaw's wounds.

"I learned some things from Mudfur," Feathertail replied, as she worked. When she was done, she padded over to Solar, who was licking her own wounds.

She murmured a thank you as Feathertail worked. "Your welcome," Feathertail meowed and sat up. "There you go," she added with a purr of approval.

"Thanks Feathertail," Tigerclaw meowed, gazing at Feathertail.

"No problem, Tigerclaw," Feathertail meowed, purring as she gazed at Tigerclaw with clear blue eyes.

"Feathertail and Tigerclaw sitting in a tree," Squirrelpaw chanted, gazing at the two cats, her eyes were a lit with amusement.

Tigerclaw looked away embarrassed. "Come on," he meowed, "let's keep going."

_**A/n what do you think?**_

**Stardream: I just love that pairing for some reason**

**Tigerstar: yeah, you've said that like four times now**

**Stardream: (rereads chapters and stories) no, I've only said it twice**

**Tigerstar: yeah right**

**Stardream: don't accuse me of lying, I should know what I am talking about**

**Tigerstar: whatever, you're an idiotic stupid**

**Stardream: no, you are**

**Tigerstar: quit looking in the mirror**

**Stardream: it's a two way mirror**

**Tigerstar: (walks off to think of a snappy comeback)**

**Stardream: works everytime, and this is another reminder, if you reviewers want me to keep Feathertail alive, just review**

**Tigerstar: where is Feathertail?**

**Stardream: I gave her the day off**

**Tigerstar: oh, okay**

**Stardream: (smiles) sorry if all you reviewers consider this blackmail, but you'll all understand when I post that certain chapter, so please review, next chapter soon**


	3. Chapter 2

**Stardream: this is another reminder, I told you, I'd be reminding you every chapter, if you don't know what I'm talking about, reread the author's note in the last two chapters**

**Feathertail: please, please, please, please, please**, **please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please**, **please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please**, **please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please**, **please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please**, **please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please**, **please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please**, **please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please**, **please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please**, **please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please**, **please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please**, **please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please**, **please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please**, **please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please**, **please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please**, **please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please**, **please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please**, **please, please, please, please, please, please, please**

**Stardream: stop that, Feathertail, it's getting annoying,**

**Feathertail: sorry**

**Stardream: (sigh) now that Flamepaw's gone (see Chapters 23-25 of The Secret Path), I've decided to alternate between Tigerclaw's point of view and Leafpaw's point of view.**

**Tigerstar: thats right, just tell them**

**Stardream: hey, they had to read the second book in order to know whats happening in the third book**

**Tigerstar: they did?**

**Stardream: duh**

**Tigerstar: I didn't know that**

**Stardream: thats because you're an idiot**

**Tigerstar: I am not**

**Stardream: are too**

**Tigerstar: am not**

**Stardream: are too**

**Tigerstar: am not**

**Stardream: are too**

**Tigerstar: am not**

**Stardream: are too**

**Demon: sorry about this, they're always like that, so here's chapter two**

Chapter 2

Leafpaw padded out of the medicine cats den and tasted the morning air. It has been barely two days since Flamepaw and Skypaw left the clan and everyone was still on guard.

Firestar was sitting below the highrock, talking with Graystripe and Shrewfur. "And I want to make sure Flame isn't anywhere on our territory," Firestar was saying when Leafpaw came into earshot, "also keep a look out for Squirrelpaw and Stormfur, I don't think it would take them this long to find Tigerclaw and Feathertail."

Firestar was right about that, it has been over a half moon since Tigerclaw and Feathertail went missing and Stormfur and Squirrelpaw went looking for them. _Oh, please be safe, _Leafpaw thought as she settled down a little ways away from the group.

"Of course, Firestar," Graystripe meowed, "I'll lead it, Mousefur, Twilightbreeze and Cherrytail, you coming?"

Leafpaw turned and spotted Cherrytail laying outside the warriors den with Rainwhisker at her side. "I'm coming," she called and got to her paws. Rainwhisker gently licked her ears before disappearing into the warriors den.

A moment later, Twilightbreeze and Mousefur padded out of the den and hurried over to join Graystripe.

With a nod to Firestar, Graystripe signaled with his tail and lead the way out of the camp. Firestar sighed and turned to look at Leafpaw, "well, when did you get here?" he meowed with a slight purr of amusement,

Leafpaw padded over and gently nose the wound on Firestar's shoulder. Two days ago, Flame had attacked Firestar in his own den and soon after that was banished along with Skypaw.

_I'm going to miss Skypaw, _Leafpaw thought as she gently licked Firestar wound, _she was a good friend._

"It's healing well," she commented, stepping back.

Firestar nodded, "I know, if only I could have ripped out some more of Flame's fur," he muttered, under his breath.

"You wouldn't have done that, would you?" Leafpaw meowed, her eyes went wide with surprise.

"Why not? He's a traitor, and he's just like Tigerstar, now that Tigerclaw is good," Firestar muttered.

Leafpaw continued to stare at Firestar in shock, she remembered that day clearly. Flame had admitted that he was the exact opposite of Tigerstar, which meant, since Tigerclaw was good, he was just like the old Tigerstar, evil.

And Leafpaw also knew the anger Firestar has always felt toward the evil Tigerstar, since he had tried to destroy the clan, and Firestar, countless times.

Firestar shook his head and sighed, "at least we don't have to worry about him for now," he murmured.

"For now?" Leafpaw asked, in confusion.

"You were there, the battle's not over yet, you heard him, he's planning his revenge, and he said the one that is destined to save us will not return," Firestar meowed.

"You can't think like that, Firestar," Leafpaw protested. Firestar was right, she had been there when Flame had told Firestar he knew about the prophecy. The one Firestar told Leafpaw he had heard when Leopardstar died.

Firestar, Tigerclaw, Squirrelpaw, Seapaw and Leafpaw were the only ones who knew how Leopardstar died and they swore they wouldn't say a word to any cat.

_Flames burning, tigers prowling, two will clash, of good and evil, and peace will come at last, _Leafpaw thought as she watched Firestar.

Firestar was staring back at her and Leafpaw had this feeling Firestar was thinking the same thing.

"If it starts throbbing again, come and see me or Cinderpelt, it doesn't look bad though," Leafpaw meowed, trying to hid her shaking voice.

Firestar nodded, "thanks Leafpaw," he meowed, before getting to his paws. He turned around and padded back to his den.

Leafpaw sighed and padded back to Cinderpelt's den. The medicine cat was there, organizing her herbs. "We're short on marigold, after treating Shrewfur and Firestar," Cinderpelt meowed when Leafpaw entered the den.

"Do you want me to go collect some?" Leafpaw asked, coming to stand beside her mentor.

"Sure, there's some along the Riverclan border," Cinderpelt meowed, "do you want to take another warrior with you?"

Leafpaw shrugged, "I guess," she meowed and padded toward the warriors den.

Sorreltail was just padding out of it and stopped when she spotted Leafpaw. "Hi Leafpaw," she called, coming to join her friend.

Leafpaw purred, "hi Sorreltail, do you want to come with me? I'm going to collect some marigold," she meowed.

"To make sure that fox dung eating traitor is not on our territory, okay," Sorreltail meowed, sinking her claws into the ground.

She followed Leafpaw as she lead the way out of the camp. She padded toward the Riverclan border with Sorreltail just behind her.

"At least Riverclan are at peace since they went back to their camp," Sorreltail pointed out as Leafpaw stopped to sniff the air.

"Yeah, after what Firestar did for them, I don't think we have to worry about them for a while," Leafpaw meowed and padded over to a clump of marigold she spotted.

"Here, can you help me carry this back?" Leafpaw asked, as she picked up some of the leaves.

"Okay," Sorreltail meowed, digging up some marigold roots and picking them up gently until her jaws were crammed.

"I think thats enough," Leafpaw meowed, picking up her own group before she padded toward the camp with Sorreltail just behind her.

_Flames burning, tigers prowling, two will clash, of good and evil, and peace will come at last, _Starclan's prophecy repeated themselves inside Leafpaw's mind.

As Leafpaw padded back to the camp, she knew that Firestar was right. The war was not over yet.

**A/n what do you think?**

**Tigerstar: am not**

**Stardream: are too**

**Tigerstar: am not**

**Stardream: are too**

**Demon: please review, next chapter soon**

**Tigerstar: am not**

**Stardream: are too, wait, what were we fighting about?**

**Tigerstar: (thinking) you know what, I don't remember**

**Stardream: okay, that was awkward**

**Demon: you called Tigerstar an idiot and thats why you were arguing**

**Stardream: oh, okay**

**Tigerstar: I'm not an idiot**

**Stardream: (hits Tigerstar with skillet) shut up about that already**

**Tigerstar: (knocked out)**

**Demon: nice going Stardream**

**Stardream: thank you, please review, I want at least three more before I post the next chapter**

**Feathertail: (opens mouth)**

**Stardream: don't even think about it**

**Feathertail: (grumbles under breath)**


	4. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

As they journeyed onward, Tigerclaw glanced back and saw that the sun was starting to set and he could see the base of the mountain no more than a few fox lengths ahead. Just as Sparrow had predicted, they were at the base of the mountain by sunset.

"We should stop for the night before we start climbing," Tigerclaw suggested, glancing back at his tired companions.

Feathertail's only reply was a yawn. She padded off and settled down beside a stone, near a hollowed out tree. Tigerclaw joined her and Stormfur, Squirrelpaw, Solar, Ferret, and Sparrow took shelter in the hollowed out tree.

"Good night, Tigerclaw," Feathertail murmured, her voice drifting to silence as she fell asleep.

"Good night, Feathertail," Tigerclaw meowed, settling down beside her and soon falling asleep.

But sleep didn't come right away to Tigerclaw. _He ended up waking up to find himself surrounded by trees. It looked like he was back at fourtrees, but there were cats with stars in their fur all around him._

_The familiar blue gray shape of Bluestar stepped forward to touch noses with Tigerclaw. Tigerclaw touched her nose then gazed around the clearing, he realized he was in Starclan._

_"Welcome, Tigerclaw," Bluestar meowed, as she stepped back to join the other Starclan warriors._

_"Why am I here?" Tigerclaw asked, gazing around at the assembled Starclan warriors._

_"We have a message for you, Tigerclaw," Spottedleaf meowed as the tortoiseshell padded forward to stand beside Bluestar._

_"What is it?" Tigerclaw asked._

_Before Bluestar could reply, she froze and the tip of her tail twitched, "someone has crossed the border," she meowed before anyone could say anything._

_"But who? And why have they crossed the border? They've always respected them," Spottedleaf protested._

_Bluestar shrugged, "I don't know, but I have this strange feeling Tigerclaw is getting ready to head into intermediate danger," she meowed._

_"What kind of danger?" Spottedleaf and Tigerclaw asked at the exact same time. They looked at each other in confusion._

_"I do not know, it is hidden in the future," Bluestar meowed._

_"You haven't a clue to what Tigerclaw is heading into, should he have gone back the way he came instead of going through those unknown mountains," Spottedleaf meowed._

_Bluestar shook her head, "it would have been worse if Tigerclaw went back the way he had come," she meowed._

_Spottedleaf sighed, "I know, but thats the only way he can avoid it," she meowed, her voice dropping to a low whisper._

_"Why would it be worse if I went back the way I had come?" Tigerclaw asked, gazing at Spottedleaf and then at Bluestar._

_"Because like Solar said, you don't want to run into her former leader," Bluestar meowed._

_"What makes you think I'll run into her former leader?" Tigerclaw asked, his eyes were wide._

_Spottedleaf sighed, "she didn't tell you she had a vision about what was happening with her former leader, did she?" she asked._

_Tigerclaw tipped his head to one side, confused, "no, why?" he asked._

_Bluestar sighed, "I thought so, she had a vision that showed her, her former leader would be heading back the same way you had come, so you can't go back that way," she meowed._

_"Oh, yeah, I know what your talking about, she told us she didn't want to run into her former leader," Tigerclaw meowed._

_Spottedleaf nodded, "but the way you are going now is not much safer," she warned._

_Tigerclaw pricked his ears, "what do you mean?" he asked._

_"Beware the starlit waters," Spottedleaf whispered under her breath._

_"What do you mean?" Tigerclaw gasped, it was the same prophecy that unknown cat had told him, he thought._

_"This is all I can tell you, Tigerclaw," Spottedleaf meowed, "be careful."_

_"The fate of a single cat is approaching and you might be able to stop it, but there is only one way," Bluestar whispered._

_"What are you talking about? Whose fate is coming? And what is the only way to save that cat?" Tigerclaw demanded._

_But Bluestar and Spottedleaf were already fading away. "Be careful, Tigerclaw," they both whispered at the same time before they faded away completely._

_**A/n what do you think?**_

**Stardream: please review, next chapter soon, and I know it's short, I'll try to make it longer next time, and this is another reminder to my author's note in the prologue and chapter one**

**Feathertail: please, please, please**

**Stardream: (sigh) you know what to do**

**Tigerstar: yeah, please review, (rubs bump on head) why did you hit me with a skillet?**

**Stardream: because I wanted to (gives Tigerstar a DDT)**

**Tigerstar: owwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww!!!!!!!!! (lands on iceberg)**

**Demon: when did that iceberg get there?**

**Tigerstar: cold!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!**

**Stardream: I don't know, I think Firestar put it there**

**Firestar: nope it wasn't me, what about you Cherrytail?**

**Cherrytail: wasn't me**

**Ferret: hi**

**Demon: Ferret?**

**Stardream: Ferret? Did you put that iceberg there?**

**Ferret: um . . . nope, gotta run (takes off at the speed of lightening)**

**Tigerstar: (teeth chattering) I-I'm g-going t-to g-get y-you f-for t-this**

**Stardream: it's not that cold**

**Demon: it isn't? (Touches iceberg and freezes into icicle)**

**Stardream: I could be wrong**

**Tigerstar: (snarls and leaps at Stardream)**

**Stardream: (catches him and gives him a FU of the cliff)**

**Tigerstar: I'm sorryyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!!!!!!!!! (lands in frozen lake)**

**Stardream: ha, ha, ha, please review, next chapter when I get three more reviews**

**Feathertail: please, please, please, if any of you love me, please review**


	5. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

"Tigerclaw, Tigerclaw!" a voice hissed in Tigerclaw's ear, causing him to jerk his head up. He blinked as his eyes adjusted to the glare of the sunlight. Feathertail was no more then a few pawsteps away from him, gazing at him in concern.

Tigerclaw groaned and got to his paws, "what is it?" he asked, looking around at the group of cats that were gathered around him.

"You were twitching in your sleep," Feathertail meowed, blinking her blue eyes in concern, "are you sure you're alright?"

Tigerclaw sighed, "I'm fine," he said and stretched before looking at the other cats. Squirrelpaw and Stormfur were sitting side by side, sharing a squirrel. Ferret and Sparrow were talking with each other but Solar was no where in sit.

"Where's Solar?" Tigerclaw meowed, padding over to join Sparrow and Ferret.

"She went hunting," Sparrow replied.

"Oh, how much longer do you think she'll be? We have to start entering the mountains soon," Tigerclaw meowed.

"I'm ready," Solar's muffled meow sounded behind Tigerclaw, making him leap into the air.

"Solar, don't do that!" he gasped, trying to get his breath back.

Solar put down the prey she was carrying, purred in amusement and pawed at the mouse she had caught, "why don't we eat before we enter the mountains?" she suggested.

"Not a bad idea," Stormfur meowed, padding over to the pile of fresh kill and choosing a mouse for himself before padding over to Squirrelpaw, "want to share?" he asked.

"Alright," Squirrelpaw meowed and took a bite of the mouse before handing it back to Stormfur.

"Do you want to share with me?" Feathertail asked, looking at Tigerclaw as she came back with a mouse in her jaws.

"Alright," Tigerclaw meowed, feeling slightly embarrassed.

Feathertail purred in amusement before taking a bite of the mouse and passing it to Tigerclaw. She was sitting so close that her fur touched Tigerclaw's but he did not want to move away.

Solar and Sparrow shared a vole nearby with Ferret close beside them, eating a mouse of her own. "It looks like you two are getting along quite well," Ferret purred after she swallowed a bite of her mouse.

Tigerclaw felt embarrassed once again but Feathertail just purred with amusement and took a bite of the mouse. Tigerclaw took a bite and, as he chewed, he couldn't help but feel something he couldn't quite identify. It was some sort of feeling but Tigerclaw didn't know what it was. And it was for Feathertail.

_Could I really be in love with Feathertail? _He thought to himself, gazing at Feathertail.

Feathertail, seeming to have sensed he was staring at her, looked toward him, "what?" she asked in her soft voice.

Tigerclaw looked away, "nothing," he murmured. _I really do think I'm in love with Feathertail but does she feel the same way for me? _He thought to himself.

Feathertail continued to look at him before nodding, "alright," she meowed.

"Are you ready to go?" Solar asked, getting to her paws, her blue eyes were filled with unease as she looked toward the mountains, "we want to get back as soon as possible, right?"

Tigerclaw, realizing everyone was looking at him, swallowed the last of his mouse and stood up, "alright," he meowed, "lets get going. Solar, are you or any of your friends familiar with these mountains?'

Solar shook her head, "no," she meowed, "we came from the opposite direction from this mountains but we have been in others."

"Good, then you lead the way, Ferret will be in the middle and Sparrow, will you bring up the rear?" Tigerclaw asked.

The three cats nodded and Ferret padded to stand beside Squirrelpaw in the middle of the group, Sparrow dropped back to the back of the group and Solar joined Tigerclaw at the head of the group. The unease in her eyes grew stronger as they neared the mountains as if she knew what was going to happen there but knew she wouldn't be able to stop it.

_I wonder why Solar is so uneasy about going into the mountains, _Tigerclaw thought to himself and almost as if he had called them up, Spottedleaf's words came back into his mind, _beware the starlit waters. What could this mean? _Tigerclaw sighed and turned his gaze to the mountain that loomed ahead. It's peaks were so high that they nearly touched the clouds above.

"Are you going to stand there all day?" Squirrelpaw's impatient mew sounded and Tigerclaw blinked his eyes to find that the group was already several tail lengths ahead of him.

He shook his head, trying hard to get rid of the dark message and sighed, "I'm coming," he meowed and padded over to join the group of cats. For some reason he felt as if something dark was coming and he might not be able to stop it as Bluestar's words came back into his mind.

_If I can save this cat then why do I have this feeling that I'm going to fail? _He thought to himself as he caught up with the group of cats at the base of the mountain.

**A/n what do you think?**

**Stardream: yes, I know I put that message twice but it was all I could think up, please review and sorry it's short**

**Tigerclaw: yeah, please review**

**Stardream: when did you defrost?**

**Tigerclaw: while you were typing the first half of the chapter**

**Stardream: ah**

**Demon: hi**

**Tigerclaw: (leaps into air) Demon, don't do that**

**Demon: (shrugs) sorry**

**Tigerclaw: how did you get defrost?**

**Demon: I stood in front of the heater Stardream gave me for about three hours**

**Tigerclaw: dang, I had to go stand beside a volcano, thank Starclan it didn't erupt**

**Stardream: Tigerclaw, you don't even know what a volcano is**

**Tigerclaw: (looks in dictionary) volcanicity, volcanism, ah here it is, volcano, a mountain or hill having a crater or vent through which lava, rock fragments, hot vapor, and gas are or have been erupted from the earth's crust.**

**Stardream: wow, he can read**

**Tigerclaw: shut up**

**Stardream: (smiles evilly) make me**

**Tigerclaw: (gulps) never mind**

**Stardream: I thought so, please review, next chapter as soon as I can**


	6. Chapter 5

**Stardream: sorry it took so long to update, I've been busy with my other stories and I've had writer's block for this one, so here's Chapter 5**

Chapter 5

"Just don't think about it and leap," Sparrow meowed, looking down as Solar crouched below the boulder that stood in front of her. It was barely sunhigh of the second day since they reached the mountain base and Solar could see she was keeping everyone held up.

"Come on, Solar, it's not that far," Tigerclaw, who was already waiting on top of the boulder, called down.

"Yeah, we'll all die of old age by the time you get up here," Squirrelpaw complained.

"Alright, I'm coming," Solar murmured, bunched her muscles and took a flying leap into the boulder. She barely missed the top and would have slide back down had Tigerclaw and Sparrow not grabbed her scruff and pulled her the rest of the way.

"Thanks," Solar meowed.

"No problem," Sparrow and Tigerclaw replied. Solar padded to their side and looked down over the valley of the mountain. They were looking down into a wide valley covered with layers upon layers of trees. A ledge that stood just away from the rocky mountains stood just to their side.

"Let's go this way," Stormfur, the gray tom that padded next to Feathertail, meowed.

"Is it safe?" Sparrow asked.

"How should we know?" Stormfur meowed, "we've never been here. Come on, it looks sturdy and all you have to do is stay away from the edge." He padded onto the ledge and Feathertail followed him. Tigerclaw followed close behind with Squirrelpaw just behind him.

"I wonder what we're going to see up in these mountains," Squirrelpaw meowed, her voice coming clearly to Solar's ears as she padded onto the edge. Ferret and Sparrow padded beside her, keeping as far from the edge as they could.

"Well, we'll see, won't we?" Tigerclaw meowed, looking at his sister. Solar was surprised to find a worried look cross his eyes but it was gone before she could be sure she had seen it at all.

"Are you going to stand there all day?" Feathertail called. She was about five or so tail lengths ahead, gazing down back at them with clear blue eyes.

Tigerclaw purred, "we're coming," he meowed and padded toward the silver gray she cat with Squirrelpaw just behind him.

"Are you worried over something, Solar?" Ferret asked, looking at the golden she cat.

Solar shook herself, "no, I'm fine," she murmured, _but why do I have this feeling not all of us are going to return to Thunderclan? _she thought to herself, _when we had first learned someone was going to come get us, we had assumed all of us would make it. But why did Bluestar tell me one of us wasn't going to make it? Did she mean something was going to happen in these mountains?_

Solar regretted telling Tigerclaw that they should head into the mountains but she knew she had no other choice. For if she meet up with her former leader, it would have been worse because he would have killed all of them on the spot.

Solar sighed before hurrying to catch up with Tigerclaw, "I think we should stop and rest for a while," she meowed when she caught up with the dark brown tom.

Tigerclaw glanced back at her, "alright," he meowed before calling out to Feathertail and Stormfur, "we're going to rest for a while, why don't you come back?"

Feathertail nodded and started back along the ledge with Stormfur just behind her. Suddenly, a loud screech sounded and Solar glanced up at the sky. Her eyes widened with horror when she saw the slightly familiar golden brown shape of an eagle.

"Take cover!" she yowled.

"What is it?" Squirrelpaw asked, her voice high with fear.

"An eagle, they used to hunt near where we once lived," Sparrow was the one that replied as Solar looked around for a place to hide. She spotted an overhang a few tail lengths away from where Feathertail and Stormfur had been standing.

"Hurry, go to that overhang," Solar shouted, gesturing toward the overhang that stood a few tail lengths behind Stormfur. Stormfur whirled around and dashed toward the overhang and Solar looked back at her friends.

"Go on," she meowed, "I'll stay with Tigerclaw and Squirrelpaw."

Ferret nodded and sprinted off toward the overhang but Sparrow stayed a moment longer, gazing into Solar's blue eyes. Solar stepped forward and gently brushed her muzzle against his, "go," she meowed softly, "I'll be fine."

Sparrow gulped but nodded and ran off after Ferret toward the overhang. Solar dashed over to Tigerclaw's side just as another screech sounded in the sky. She glanced up and saw the eagle was diving toward them, its talons outstretched. Squirrelpaw was frozen with horror, her eyes wide as she stared at the bird.

"Come on, Squirrelpaw," Tigerclaw hissed, nudging Squirrelpaw but she refused to move.

"Come on, Squirrelpaw," Solar meowed, "we'll get you to safety but we must hurry."Squirrelpaw shook herself, "that bird is huge," she gasped.

"There's no time to worry about that now! Hurry to the overhang!" Solar yowled, nudging Squirrelpaw roughly until she jumped to her feet. She glanced at Tigerclaw for a moment, fear in her eyes before dashing toward the overhang. Stormfur meet her outside and dragged her into the overhang.

"Let's get out of here," Solar meowed.

Tigerclaw nodded and hissed, "Solar, look out!"

Solar whirled around and saw the eagle was flying straight toward her, letting out a screech that sent a shiver down Solar's spine. Tigerstar let out a hiss and leaped ontop of the eagle when it got within range of sinking its talons into Solar. He clawed the bird, not giving into any kind of hesitation.

The eagle screeched with pain and tried to shake the dark brown tom off but Tigerclaw held on tight before sinking his teeth into the birds neck.

"Tigerclaw, you mousebrained idiot," Solar gasped out as the bird gave out a strangeled cry and struggled free. It finally shook Tigerclaw off, sending him flying to the ground and landing with a sickening thump. It glared at the two cats before shooting into the sky, screeching and lying away.

"Tigerclaw!" Solar gasped, hurrying over to Tigerclaw's side.

"I'm alright," Tigerclaw gasped, struggling to his feet.

"Why did you do something as stupid as that?" Solar demanded, lending her shoulder to support Tigerclaw.

Tigerclaw looked at her, confusion in his amber eyes, "I don't know," he replied, "I guess I saw the eagle was about to hurt you and I-I lost it." Solar could tell he wasn't saying everything but she didn't press the matter as she helped Tigerclaw back to the overhang where the others waited.

**A/n what do you think?**

**Stardream: finally I was able to update this story. It's been such a long time.**

**Tigerclaw: you're telling me**

**Stardream: (leaps into air) don't do that!**

**Tigerclaw: sorry**

**Stardream: when did you get here?**

**Tigerclaw: (eating sundae) when you were typing the first half of the chapter**

**Stardream: oh**

**Demon: hi**

**Tigerclaw: ahhh!! (leaps up and drops his sundae and it lands on Demon's head)**

**Demon: ahhh!!! Thanks a lot, I'm allergic to peanuts!!! (leaps into a nearby lake)**

**Tigerclaw: sorry**

**Stardream: you're not really sorry, are you?**

**Tigerclaw: (widens eyes innocently) why, what would give you that impression?**

**Stardream: (sighs) weirdo, Please review, I hope you like this chapter and the next chapter will come as soon as I can.**


	7. Chapter 6

**Stardream: well, here's chapter 6**

**Tigerclaw: yay!**

**Stardream: (rolls eyes) weirdo**

Chapter 6

Tigerclaw sighed as he gazed out of the rocky overhang were everyone had taken shelter when the eagle attacked. He could still remember the flashback, it was so vivid that Tigerclaw had felt as if he was experiance the flashback instead of fighting that eagle. He had a flashback back to the Riverclan battle where his first life self had killed Redtail.

"Tigerclaw, are you alright?" Squirrelpaw meowed, coming to stand beside her brother.

"I'm fine," Tigerclaw meowed, looking up at the darkening sky, "we should stay here for the night. It's getting to late and we don't want to risk walking off the ledge."

Feathertail's only reply was a yawn and she curled up in the back of the overhang before falling asleep. Solar, Ferret and Sparrow were already asleep next to Feathertail and Stormfur looked about ready to fall asleep.

"I'll keep watch," Stormfur suggested.

"You're look like you're about ready to topple over," Squirrelpaw purred, "I'll take the first watch."

"Alright," Stormfur meowed before curling up beside his sister and instantly falling asleep. Tigerclaw padded over and sat down beside Feathertail stirred before blinking open her eyes.

"You should get some sleep, Tigerclaw," she murmured in a voice thick with sleep.

Tigerclaw sighed, "alright," he murmured and laid down next to Feathertail who purred and curled back up before falling asleep. Tigerclaw looked at her before resting his head on his paws and closing his eyes.

****

_For the second time since they neared the mountains, Tigerclaw woke up to find himself in a dream. In front of him was a river, flowing swifty with trees surrounding it on each side._

_"The time has come for a telling," a voice meowed and Tigerclaw looked over his shoulder in time to find a blue gray tom pad toward the river. He looked down into the river and Tigerclaw saw his eyes closed and he let out a sigh._

_"What did you see, Streamteller?" a voice called behind him._

_The blue gray cat, Streamteller, looked at the white she cat that stood behind him, "It is just as it has been but something has changed. A golden cat, a flame colored cat or a silver cat will save our tribe and they will arrive before the moon wanes," he meowed._

_"But doesn't the moon wane in three days?" the white she cat asked._

_"Yes, and that means the three cats are somewhere in the mountains already," Streamteller meowed._

_Tigerclaw was startled, _a golden cat, a flame colored cat or a silver cat? _he thought, _are they talking about Solar, Squirrelpaw and Feathertail? _Tigerclaw shook his head to clear it and when he looked back, Streamteller and the white she cat were gone. In there place was the blue gray shape of Bluestar._

_"So you have seen what you needed to see," Bluestar meowed._

_"Is it true that Solar, Squirrelpaw and Feathertail might have to save this..." Tigerclaw broke off, "but why would they say three?"_

_"The tribe's ancestors don't know who is going to save them," Bluestar replied, "they only know that three are going to come and one of those three are going to save them."_

_"Is this tribe what Spottedleafe meant when she told me to 'beware the starlit waters'?" Tigerclaw asked._

_"In a way," Bluestar meowed, "but the fate of one cat that travels with you will be decided with this tribe."_

_"Would it have been better if we went back the way we had come?" Tigerclaw asked._

_Bluestar shook her head, "no, it is just as Solar had told you, her former leader is returning that way and if he find you, he will attack you without mercy. At least this way, only one of you will be joining us," she meowed._

_"So it's true, one of us is going to die," Tigerclaw murmured._

_Bluestar nodded sadly, "I am afraid so," she meowed._

_"Will you please tell me?" Tigerclaw asked suddenly, "how are things back in Thunderclan?"_

_Bluestar purred, "they are fine, Firestar and Sandstorm are still worried about you and Squirrelpaw but I will tell them today that you are alright, for the time being," she meowed._

_"What do you mean for the time being?" Tigerclaw asked._

_Bluestar shook her head, "I am sorry, if I told you what I meant, I might change what is about to happen, goodbye Tigerclaw and good luck," she meowed and was gone._

_****_

Tigerclaw gasped when he woke up, his eyes adjusting rapidly to the sunlight that streamed into the overhanging rock. Feathertail sat beside him, watching him with concern in her eyes, "are you alright?" she asked.

"Yes, I'm fine," Tigerclaw muttered, sitting up, "is everyone else up?"

"Just about," Solar's voice sounded muffled and when Tigerclaw looked toward her, she put down the mouse she was carrying before pushing it toward the dark brown warrior.

"Thanks," Tigerclaw mewed before looking at Feathertail, "do you want to share?"

Feathertail purred, "thanks," she meowed before crouching down and taking a bite of the mouse.

"Ugh, just five more minutes," Squirrelpaw's meow sounded and Tigerclaw looked tover to where his sister was sleeping. Stormfur stood above her, prodding her gently in the side.

"It's time to wake up," he meowed.

"Ugh," Squirrelpaw groaned and blinked open her eyes before scrambling to her feet, "is there anything to eat? I'm famished."

Solar purred in amusement, "while you were all snoring like hedgehogs in winter, Ferret, Sparrow and I went hunting," she meowed, gesturing toward the pile of fresh kill in the center of the overhang.

"How do you hunt in the mountains?" Squirrelpaw meowed as she got to her paws and padded toward the fresh kill pile. She chose a mouse for herself and started to eat it, Stormfur sat beside her, eating a vole.

"The same way you hunt in the forest, it's just much clearer out here," Solar replied.

"So when are we suppose to leave?" Ferret asked.

Everyone looked expectantly at Tigerclaw as he finished off his half of the mouse and swiped his tongue across his jaws, "we'll leave at sunhigh," he meowed.

"Alright," Sparrow meowed before padding over to Solar's side and drawing his tail along her flank. Solar purred and sat down before choosing a vole for herself and starting to eat.

"They must really like each other," Stormfur commented.

"Like Feathertail and Tigerclaw," Squirrelpaw added after she swallowed a bite of her mouse.

Tigerclaw and Feathertail looked at each other before looking away, _should I tell her that I love her? _Tigerclaw thought to himself.

When he looked up, he saw Stormfur's eyes darken but he didn't say anything as he finished his vole and got to his paws, "I think we should leave now," he meowed, "that eagle might return."

"You do have a point there," Tigerclaw meowed, getting to his paws, "alright, lets leave now."

The rest of the group nodded and Tigerclaw led them out of the overhang. The day was slightly chilly and Tigerclaw expected that was because they were much closer to the sky than in the forest. The peaks rose high above them as Tigerclaw led them alonge the ridge. Feathertail padded at his side and Stormfur and Squirrelpaw brought up the rear.

_Beware the starlit water, _Spottedleaf's message repeated itself in Tigerclaw's mind and he couldn't help but wonder if he was going to find out the true meaning of that omen soon.

**a/n what do you think?**

**Stardream: I know it's short but I thought it was good**

**Tigerclaw: bleh**

**Stardream: shut up Tigerclaw (puts muzzle over Tigerclaw)**

**Tigerclaw: mmmm!!!!!  
Stardream: what? I can't hear you**

**Tigerclaw: mmmmmmmm!!!!**

**Stardream: strange cat, please review, next chapter as soon as I can**


	8. Chapter 7 finally

**Blaze (formerly Stardream): Well, I'm finally updating this story though it's going to be a while before chapter 8 comes out**

**Tigerstar: really?**

**Blaze: yup and this is the chapter where we finally see what's going on back in ThunderClan**

**Tigerstar: cool**

**Blaze: here's chapter 7**

Chapter 7

The large mountainous peaks nearly blocked out the light of the sun above their heads. It was nearing nightfall, the sun was sinking into the night sky, shedding shadows across the mountain. Tigerclaw looked up at the sky above his head before letting out a long sigh as he padded along the ledge and paused, glancing over his shoulder at the rest of the group.

"Are you okay?" he called back.

"We're fine, Tigerclaw, let's get going already," Squirrelpaw called back.

"All right, all right," Tigerclaw purred in amusement before padding onward again. The ledge they were walking on was so narrow that they had to walk in a single file line. Tigerclaw was in the lead with Feathertail just behind him, Solar, Sparrow and Ferret followed them with Squirrelpaw just behind them and Stormfur bringing up the rear of the group.

Tigerclaw turned his amber gaze around the mountains again, his thoughts went back to Spottedleaf's omen and he couldn't seem to get the omen or Bluestar's warning out of his mind. He knew one member of the group wasn't going to make it back to the Clans alive but he didn't know who it was. It was going to be Feathertail, Squirrelpaw or Solar and he didn't want to lose any of them, they were his friends.

Sighing, Tigerclaw paused as they came to a large ledge that sloped down into a grassy clearing at the bottom. A gentle breeze drifted through the clearing, ruffling Tigerclaw's fur as they came to a stop. The sound of water could be heard nearby, bringing back Spottedleaf's warning.

_Beware the starlit waters, what did she mean?_ Tigerclaw wondered silently.

"Do you want go down there and see if we can find some prey?" he asked, glancing at his friends, pointing with his tail to the grassy clearing below.

"Thank StarClan," Squirrelpaw sighed. "I'm hungry." Tigerclaw purred before leading the way down the slope toward the grassy clearing. Feathertail followed him and Solar and Sparrow padded side by side with Squirrelpaw, Ferret and Stormfur just behind them. Tigerclaw noticed Squirrelpaw was standing closer to Stormfur and he narrowed his eyes at his sister. Squirellpaw glared defiantly at him before moving to pad beside Ferret.

Tigerclaw turned his attention back to Feathertail who purred at him, a soft twinkle in her blue eyes as she gazed at him as they entered the large grassy clearing. The rush of water was louder than before and Tigerclaw could see a small stream in the distance.

He raised his head to sniff the air before dropping into a crouch when he spotted a mouse scurrying into the open. He leapt at the mouse but it scurried out of his reach, straight into Feathertail's waiting paws. She killed the mouse swiftly before padding over to join Tigerclaw.

"You could be a ThunderClan cat with how good you're getting at hunting mice," Tigerclaw commented with a purr as he gazed at the silver she cat.

"Thanks," Feathertail replied before lowering her head and taking a bite of the mouse before chewing thoughtfully and swallowing. "Do you want some?" she asked.

"Sure, thanks Feathertail," Tigerclaw replied, lowering his head before taking a bite of the mouse and chewing it before swallowing it and settling down onto his stomach, just then everything went black around him and he suddenly found himself in the middle of fourtrees. Several cats surrounded him, some of them were wearing collars studded with claws.

_"Well?" he heard himself demand in a silky voice. "Are you still sure that you want to stand and fight?"_

_He saw a familiar smaller gray cat that looked like Ashfur step to a familiar dark ginger cat's side, he recognized him as Firestar. "Collars?" Ashfur spat. "Look at them—they're kittypets. We wont' have any trouble beating them."_

_"Keep quiet," the familiar voice of Dustpelt snapped, "until we have the full measure of our enemy. We don't know anything about these cats yet."_

_"So Tigerstar," Firestar meowed. "Do you want to tell us who your new friends are?"_

_"This is BloodClan," announced Tigerclaw._

The flashback ended there as Feathertail prodded him in the side and Tigerclaw's eyes shot open before he looked up at the silver she cat. The silver she cat looked worried. "Tigerclaw?" she whispered.

"What is it, Feathertail?" Tigerclaw asked, noticing the silver she cat wasn't worried about him, but rather something else.

"I think we're being watched," Feathertail replied.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------/

Leafpaw gazed around the ThunderClan camp before letting out a long sigh. A slight warm breeze swept through the camp, causing the trees to sway and leaves to fall to the ground, dappling the sandy forest floor. She sighed before getting to her paws and glancing over her shoulder as Cinderpelt limped out of the den.

"How are you, Leafpaw?" Cinderpelt asked, gazing curiously at her apprentice, the fluffy gray medicine cat sat down beside her apprentice.

"I'm just worried about Squirrelpaw and Tigerclaw," Leafpaw replied with a long sigh. "Even though Bluestar told me last night that they were all right, I'm still worried about them."

"I know, have you told Firestar and Sandstorm? They could use the reassurance," Cinderpelt pointed out.

"I know Cinderpelt, I'll go tell them now," Leafpaw replied before stretching and dipping her head to her mentor. She padded toward the highrock and paused when she was standing outside the den, she called a greeting inside.

"Come in," called Firestar's voice and Leafpaw padded into the cave, he saw Firestar was sitting up on his bed of moss, Sandstorm was sitting down beside the dark ginger tom as Leafpaw's father gazed curiously at her.

"What is it, Leafpaw?" he asked curiously.

"I received a message from Bluestar last night," Leafpaw replied, dipping her head to her leader. "She told me that Tigerclaw and Squirrelpaw are okay even though they are far away from the Clans."

Firestar looked up. "That's good news indeed," he meowed before letting out a long sigh. "I just hope they are truly all right."

"I'm sure they are, Firestar," Leafpaw meowed padding deeper into the cave before sitting down beside her father and curling her tail around his shoulders as Sandstorm pressed her pale ginger muzzle against his.

"I hope so," Firestar meowed before straightening up. "Brambleclaw took a patrol out earlier with Twilightbreeze, Whitewing and Shrewfur and they only have scented Flame's stale scent. I have reason to believe he left the Clans forever."

"Let's hope that's true and let's hope Tigerclaw will return soon," Sandstorm meowed. "I miss them and I can't help but worry about them even though Bluestar told us they were all right."

Leafpaw purred before straightening up. "I'd better go see if Cinderpelt needs anything," she meowed.

"All right," Firestar meowed gently licking Leafpaw on the top of her head and she dipped her head to her leader before padding out of the leader's den and heading back to the medicine cat's den.

**A/n what do you think?**

**Blaze: well, that was the seventh chapter and I'm sorry for it being so short**

**Tigerstar: she'll try to make the next chapter longer**

**Blaze: yeah so please review and I'll post the next chapter as soon as I possibly can but I don't know if it'll be anytime soon.**


	9. Chapter 8

**Blaze: yay! I'm finally able to update this story**

**Tigerstar: it's about time**

**Blaze: well, now I have a bunch of stories I'm working on**

**Vader: yup, you have "Far From Over", "Whispers of Daybreak"**

**Murtagh: "Shur'tugal's Hope", "Alagaesia Goes Crazy"**

**Tigerstar: "Apocalypse," "Path of Destiny" and "Dark Moonlight"**

**Darth: wow! Seven stories at the same time!**

**Blaze: I know, here's chapter 8 and I hope you like it**

Chapter 8

The mountains seemed colder than ever as the cold winds buffeted the cats' furs and Tigerclaw gazed around, narrowing his amber eyes slightly. "Why do you say we are being watched?" he asked Feathertail, glancing at the beautiful silver she cat.

"I don't know, it's just a feeling I have," Feathertail meowed softly. "Should I wake the others?"

"I think that would be best," Tigerclaw meowed. Feathertail nodded before padding over to Solar and gently prodding her in the side.

"Wake up," she hissed.

Solar groaned. "Did you have to wake me?" she complained before blinking open her eyes and gazing around. "What's the matter?"

"I think we are being watched," Feathertail meowed. "Wake up Sparrow and Ferret and I'll wake up Squirrelpaw and Stormfur."

"Good luck with that," Solar mewed as she stretched before she padded over to prod Sparrow awake. The dark brown loner moaned before blinked open his eyes.

"I was having a good dream," he complained.

Solar purred amusement in her eyes. "Get up, sleepyhead, Feathertail thinks we are being watched," she mewed.

"All right, all right, I'm up," Sparrow muttered getting to his paws and stretching as Solar padded over to Ferret before prodding the long she cat awake. Ferret got to her paws before stretching, her green eyes narrowed as she stretched again. The tall fronds of grass waved wildly in the cold wind and Tigerclaw narrowed his eyes as five cats appeared over a nearby ridge.

"You were right, we were being watched," he meowed to Feathertail.

"You see, I told you," Feathertail purred in amusement.

Tigerclaw purred as well before looking away as Feathertail gazed at him with a strange emotion in her blue eyes. He turned his gaze to the five cats, two of the smaller cats in front stopped when they were within five tail lengths of where Tigerclaw and his companions stood.

"Why did you have to wake me? I was having a good nap," Squirrelpaw complained and was instantly quieted as Stormfur put his tail over her mouth and she glared at the dark gray warrior. Stormfur dipped his head toward the five cats that had appeared before them.

"Oh, okay," Squirrelpaw meowed around the dark gray fur and she spat out Stormfur's tail before padding over to join Tigerclaw and Feathertail. "What are we going to do?"

"I honestly don't know," Tigerclaw replied narrowing his amber eyes slightly as the two smaller cats glanced at the three older cats behind them before padding forward.

"Who are you?" the first smaller cat demanded.

"Shut up, Angel," the second smaller cat snapped cuffing the first cat over the ear before glancing at the group. "I'm sorry for Angel's rudeness."

The three older cats padded over to join Angel and the other cat before regarding Tigerclaw and his companion with curiosity in their eyes. Tigerclaw noticed their eyes were straying to Squirrelpaw, Feathertail and Solar. _Could this be the 'Starlit Waters' that Spottedleaf was warning me of?_ He wondered silently.

"My name is Cloud That Covers Sky," the first of the older cats, a silver and white tom, meowed, stretching out his paw before dipping his head in greeting. "You may call me Cloud, these are my companions, Raindrops in Springtime, you may call her Rain, and Sun That Lights up Sky, also known as Sun. The two young ones are known as Angel Floating in Sky and Lizard Crawling Over Rocks, also known as Angel and Lizard."

"Nice to meet you," Tigerclaw meowed dipping his head. "I am Tigerclaw, my companions are Feathertail," he pointed to Feathertail with his tail, "Solar, Sparrow, Ferret, Stormfur and Squirrelpaw," he pointed to the others respectively.

"What are you doing in the territory of the Tribe of Starlit Waters?" Rain asked and Tigerclaw stiffened as Spottedleaf's words came back into his mind. _Beware the Starlit Waters,_ Spottedleaf had said.

_Could Spottedleaf have been warning me about this Tribe?_ Tigerclaw wondered silently.

"You seven look hungry, why don't we take you back to the Cave of Starlit Waters," Sun suggested.

"Would Streamteller allow that?" the one called Lizard asked.

"I am sure he will, Streamteller doesn't turn away travelers that need help, besides it gets cold at night this high in the mountains," Cloud meowed in reply.

"Do we go with them?" Feathertail whispered to Tigerclaw. Tigerclaw glanced at Cloud, Rain and Sun, all of them were staring at them with narrowed eyes.

"I don't think we have much of a choice," he meowed in reply.

~*~

Squirrelpaw gazed at the five cats in front of her with curiosity in her green eyes. "Are we going with them?" she asked Stormfur who was standing beside her.

"I think we have to, besides we could all use some rest somewhere away from the cold," Stormfur meowed in reply.

"But we don't even know them," the dark ginger she cat protested.

"I know, Squirrelpaw, but would you rather stay out here in the cold? It is much colder up here than it is in the forest and we don't want to risk anyone of us getting greencough before we return," Stormfur mewed in reply.

"We'll go with you," Tigerclaw meowed after several moments of silent thought and Squirrelpaw glanced at her brother with narrowed eyes.

"Why are we going with them? We don't even know them," Squirrelpaw protested.

"They are offering us food and shelter for the night, Squirrelpaw," Tigerclaw meowed. "And I don't know about you but I feel as though it's getting colder out here than before."

Squirrelpaw sighed. "All right," she meowed before padding to her brother's side as Tigerclaw turned his gaze back to Cloud, Rain, Sun, Lizard and Angel as the five tribe cats straightened up.

"Well, let's get going before nightfall comes," Sun suggested.

"Good idea," Cloud agreed before leading the way off the field of grass and toward a large mountain peak that lay in front of them.

"How long will it take us to reach this cave?" Squirrelpaw asked loudly.

"We'll get there before nightfall," Lizard meowed in reply.

"Thank StarClan," Squirrelpaw breathed. _But why do I have the feeling that I shouldn't trust this tribe cats?_ She wondered silently. She glanced at Tigerclaw and saw her own distrust reflected in her brother's amber eyes as Tigerclaw padded after the tribe cats.

"Come on, Squirrelpaw, or you'll be left behind," Feathertail called from where she was padding beside Tigerclaw.

"I'm coming," Squirrelpaw meowed in reply before hurrying after her friends as they padded deeper into the mountains, the same surge of distrust coursing through her veins as she gazed at the tribe cats in front of her.

**A/n what do you think? **

**Blaze: wow, I was able to update seven stories in one day and I'm sorry it's so short**

**Darth: dang!**

**Tigerstar: I doubt that's going to happen again**

**Blaze: nope it won't**

**Tigerstar: figured**

**Blaze: yeah, so please review and I'll try to post the next chapter as soon as I possibly can**


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